Tensions rise as session nears end

Four days from the end of their annual session, Florida lawmakers on Tuesday clashed over the expansion of Medicaid, killed the House speaker’s pension reform bill and rejected a controversial education bill supported by former Gov. Jeb Bush.

Tension is growing in Tallahassee as time is running out to pass the remaining legislation. Personalities, politics and differing priorities led to several clashes, including a procedural tactic by the 44-member Democratic caucus to slow action in the House. Lacking enough clout to otherwise influence the majority GOP, the Democrats expressed their anger over House leaders’ opposition to expanding Medicaid under the federal Affordable Care Act by invoking rules to insist that every bill be read in its entirity.

“Today has been a long day and interesting day,” House Speaker Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, said.

In retaliation, the House tabled a bill sponsored by 16 Democrats that would create the Black Cultural Tourism Enhancement Commission and ordered all members to return to a Wednesday session beginning at 8 a.m.

Weatherford, who saw the Senate reject one of his session priorities, told the House that with three days left before Friday’s adjournment deadline “there’s a lot of work to be done.”

“We will shrink or we will rise,” he said. “I hope we rise together.”

Frayed tempers and failed initiatives are not uncommon as legislative sessions sometimes lurch toward conclusion. The stakes over bills close to passage rise, along with high-level bargaining over key issues.

Technically, the only bill lawmakers have to pass is next year’s budget, with a vote that could come as early as Thursday afternoon.

Against that backdrop is a governor seeking to maximize his gains heading into a 2014 election campaign, and a Democratic opposition seeking to stop him.

Weatherford told reporters that it was “disappointing and unbecoming” for the Democrats to try to slow the law-making process — which is usually at a frantic pace in the final week of the 60-day session. He said the Democrats had their chance to make the case for Medicaid expansion last week in a five-hour debate that ended in defeat with solid opposition from the GOP majority.

House Democratic leader Perry Thurston of Fort Lauderdale defended the Democrats’ bill-reading tactic, saying the “drastic situation requires drastic tactics,” as lawmakers appear on the verge of rejecting additional federal health care funding that could provide coverage to some 1.2 million uninsured Floridians.

Thurston said Medicaid expansion is the top priority for House Democrats and they’re willing to sacrifice everything else to force action on the issue. The delay tactic decision was unanimously supported by House Democratic caucus and members plan to maintain the position through the end of the session unless Weatherford concedes on Medicaid, Thurston said.

The move jeopardizes Democratic priorities, including an elections bill that expands early voting.

“We’ve pretty much put them all on the table today so it’s very important,” Thurston said. “It’s very important but it’s not just important to us; it’s important to our constituents. It’s important to the citizens who don’t have insurance.”

The House Democrats’ case was bolstered by the Senate’s bipartisan passage Tuesday of measure (HB 7169) that includes a plan by Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, that would accept federal funds for health care expansion. The bill also has the support of Gov. Rick Scott, who has called for the expansion of Medicaid.

And adding to the political mix, former Gov. Charlie Crist, who is now a Democrat and who may challenge Scott next year, decided to weigh in on the Medicaid issue on his Facebook page.

“It is really disappointing to watch the Legislature, particularly the Florida House of Representatives, put ideology over the health care needs of working uninsured Floridians,” Crist wrote. “I know one thing, if this debate had happened during my term as governor, the Legislature and I would have spent all summer in Tallahassee until we had done the right thing by the people that we all serve.”

And there may be more partisan bickering ahead as lawmakers have not acted on an election reform bill aimed at improving the early-voting process. Democrats have generally opposed the Republican bills, which they say do not go far enough in addressing some of the issues that emerged in the 2012 elections.

In another major development Tuesday, the Senate defeated an amendment that encapsulated Weatherford’s plan to end the traditional state pension plan for newly hired public workers after January 2014. The Senate amendment — which set the date at January 2015 — was defeated in a 22-18 vote, with eight Republicans joining the 14-member Democratic caucus.

It was another disappointment for Weatherford but he was clearly grateful for the Senate leadership allowing the measure to come up for a floor vote. “It came up a little short but I thought it was a great debate,” Weatherford said, adding he would continue to push the issue next year.

In another dramatic development Tuesday, the Senate used a 20-20 vote to kill a controversial “parent trigger” bill (SB 862) that would have allowed parents to demand major changes at failing public schools, including letting charter companies run them. Six Republicans joined the Democrats in opposing the measure, which was supported by former Gov. Bush’s education foundation.

Senate President Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, who voted for the pension and parent trigger bills, said the outcomes reflected a “thoughtful and deliberative debate” among the Senate members.

Meanwhile, Scott is set to become a major factor in the waning days of the 2013 session. Wednesday, he must act on major ethics and campaign finance bills, which are top priorities for Senate and House leaders. Scott, who faces re-election next year, has voiced opposition to the campaign-finance bill, which is a Weatherford priority and raises statewide contribution limits to $3,000 up from $500.

Scott also has a controversial bill to revamp state alimony laws that he will have to sign, veto or let become law without his signature by midnight.

And he continues to press for a $141 million tax break for manufacturing companies that lawmakers have yet to embrace. He said he had a deal with legislative leaders to pass a three-year tax break. But legislative leaders said any announcement of an agreement was premature.

“It would be ridiculous not to cut taxes in a year when we have a budget surplus,” Scott told reporters.

He also voiced opposition to the Legislature’s approval of a 3 percent tuition increase for university and college students, which is part of the new $74.5 billion state budget. Scott has likened the tuition increase to a tax.

Gaetz and Weatherford said Scott’s tax break is still under consideration.

“We certainly hope that the governor has a good session,” Gaetz said, saying lawmakers want to end the session by giving Scott the opportunity “to say he’s done very well for Florida’s teachers and Florida’s economy.”

Lloyd Dunkelberger

Lloyd Dunkelberger is the Htpolitics.com Capital Bureau Chief.
He can be reached by email or call 850 556-3542.
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Last modified: April 30, 2013
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